A table saw is a power tool used to cut a work piece, such as a piece of wood, to a desired size or shape. A table saw includes a work surface or table and a circular blade extending up through the table. A person uses a table saw by placing a work piece on the table and feeding it into contact with the spinning blade to cut the work piece to a desired size.
The table saw is one of the most basic machines used in woodworking. For example, table saws are used to make furniture and cabinetry, to install hardwood flooring, to cut material for countertops, to cut plywood panels for roofing and walls, to make pallets and crates, and for many more projects and tasks.
Table saws come in various sizes ranging from large, stationary, industrial table saws, to small, lightweight, portable table saws. Larger table saws are sometimes called cabinet saws, mid-sized table saws are sometimes called contractor saws or hybrid saws, and smaller table saws are sometimes called portable, jobsite, or bench-top table saws. The larger table saws include induction motors and typically weigh well over 100 pounds. The smaller, portable table saws are often small and light enough to be transported in the back of a pick-up truck, and they often have stands with wheels so they can be moved around a jobsite or workspace. The smaller table saws have universal motors and weigh less than 100 pounds. For example, jobsite saws weigh approximately 60 to 80 pounds, and the smallest bench-top saws weigh approximately 30 to 40 pounds.
This document describes table saws and features that may be implemented on table saws. Some of the features described are particularly relevant to portable table saws such as jobsite and bench-top table saws.